White Shadows
by RandomDancingHamsters
Summary: Dusty and her brother Ash have just wanted to live a normal life since their father died in a tragic mountain lion attack. But now, when Paul imprints on Dusty, and Leah imprints on Ash, their lives become everything but normal. Can love survive?
1. Changes

**Hi!**

**Um, this is my new story. Made purely because I have writer's block on my other stories. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it going or not, or maybe, just take it down or whatever. I'll give it some time to see if anybody likes it, but if not, I'll just take it down.**

**This is a bit different from my other stories, let me tell you. My other's stories are either happy or have lots of random humor because I'm not to good with all of the drama and junk. But I think it's time to turn a little bit, make a different story with some drama and stuff if in so I can start building at that skill, you know?**

**Damn, I ramble. XD **

**Anywhoo, just needed to get that out.**

**Rated T for swearing and violence and romance and because I swear in my author's notes and because I'm paranoid. XD **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

**ONWARD!**

**Playlist For Chapter:**

**White Demon Love Song - The Killers**  
**Meet Me On The Equinox - Death Cab For Cutie**

* * *

"I don't want to go here. I want to go back home. Back home where we belong," I mumbled.

Ash's hand clutched mine again, harder this time. He squeezed it, and I looked up, just a little bit, enough to catch his looks; his golden blond hair, and his daring green eyes. I bit my lip, trying not to say anything anymore.

Our mother sighed, her blond curls shaking. I could see it from where I was sitting in the car. I looked down again, my gaze lingering on Ash's left leg.

"Dusty, I understand what you're going through. But your scars are nothing to be ashamed about. Ash, your limp makes you special. It makes you . . . well, you. I want you guys to embrace Forks and love it. Please. Do it for your father." My mother shook her head again, but this time I didn't need to know why.

The mention of my scars and Ash's limp made me grit my teeth.

I remember why our whole family– but my mom–had scars. Our family had been attacked by a pride of starving mountain lions when we had been hiking only four summers ago. One of the lion's attacked our father first, taking his life, leaving his body lifeless on the ground. A second had Ash's leg and had torn it up into shreds. The third had left my mother alone, who was screaming and yelling and trying to fight for the lives of her children. The fourth one, however, had gotten to me, and had torn up my shoulders and neck, and had left one single scar across my right eye.

The reason we were all still alive was because of another hiker. He had been able to make a torch to scare the lions away, and then he had been able to make a signal fire to signal for help.

My mother had believed it was her fault. She had thought, because she had been the one to suggest hiking, that it was her fault for this. Even though we were all healed–all I had left were scars, and all that Ash had left was the limp and the scars on his leg–our heart's still ached with the pain from my father's death.

My emotions bubbled to a boiling point, but not wanting to fight with my mother right now, I slowly let go of my brother's hand, and I grabbed my bag. I opened the door to the car that we were in, and I slowly got out, the air cool around me. I stepped back, waiting for my brother to come out too.

Ash got out, holding his back pack as well. He stepped onto the concrete parking lot of Forks High, and he leaned a little to his right. He stepped toward me, walking, his limp very noticeable.

"Smile!" Our mother suggested before Ash closed the door on her.

He stepped back a little bit again, as my mother, waving frantically to us, pulled away in the red car that we all shared. Ash managed to wave back, but I didn't. Ash looked down at me, smiling delicately.

I slowly panned up to the sky, the gray clouds swirling around like they were lost. Kind of like they were lost in life, like me. A light drizzle was falling from them as they swirled menacingly again, but no wind came.

"Hey," he said, his voice soft. "Who said we had to go to school?"

My brows furrowed. "What the hell do you mean?"

He grinned, pulling out a sleek black cell that we were both suppose to share. It was only for emergencies. He flipped it open, and dialed a number very quickly. He put it to his ear, and then, I assumed, when someone answered it, he said, "I need a taxi at Forks High. To La Push."

* * *

**Well, there you have it! It's different, see? **

**Thanks for taking your time and reading this. **

**Can you do me a favor? Can you review telling me if I should keep this story going? Thanks. XD :D**

**BAI!**


	2. Attacked

**I'm SO SO SORRY I haven't updated in forever. I went like. M.I.A. XD I'll tell you why though.**

**I went camping, which I've been wanting to do for some time now, and to be honest, I had an awesome time! We went right after Canada Day and we (my mom, my mom's BFF, and her daughter Tammy, and we met up with my friend Andrew after that) just got back a few hours ago, and I'm all unpacked and everything and now I'm sitting here typing this long thing up to say what I've been doing and why I was missing in action.**

**If you all want to read my wonderfully STUPID camping adventure, please keep reading. If you do not, please read the next paragraph, and then skip over the story. XD**

**I'M SO SO SO SORRY I haven't updated and I hope you all are still reading my stories even though I think they're getting crappier by the day here. DX Please, I'm sorry for the long wait, and I'm so sorry for the crappiness of this chapter. It was typed up in an hour, and it usually takes me at least a half a day to put a chapter up. XD**

**ONWARD TO MY CAMPING ADVENTURE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE READING MY EPIC CAMPINGNESS!**

**So, Andrew's brother owns a boat and he took me and Tammy and Andrew out onto the boat to go trolling. (It's hard to explain for those of you who haven't trolled before.) My friend Andrew caught a fish in his boat when me and another friend whom goes by Tammy (Long story. I'll explain some other time) were right beside him. Andrew pulled the fish up into the boat, and as the fish was flopping around, Tammy was like, "HOLY FUCK! OMG FISH!" It was soooooo funny. XD XD**

**We had both never seen a fish that upclose before, and the fish was a keeper, so we were all like, "Andy! Hold the fish up and get a piccy with it! Tammy can post it on the internet!" So instead of a picture, she took a video asking Andrew what it was like to catch a fish. The conversation went something like this:**

**Tammy: So, is this your first fish?**  
**Andrew: Nope.**  
**Tammy: Show off. Anyways, how heavy do you think it is?**  
**Andrew: I dunno. Maybe, eight pounds. (It was a huge fish according to Andrew's brother.)**  
**Tammy: Shit, that's a big fish. Is that a big fish, Ally?**  
**Me: I dunno. Never seen a fish before like that.**

**At this point, the fish had stopped flopping around in Andrew's hand long enough for Andrew's brother to get the hook out or whatever, right? Well, as soon as the hook was out, the fish jerked in Andrew hand, fell out, flopped in the boat, onto the side of the boat, and INTO THE WATER. This was our conversation after the fish had gone into the water:**

**Andrew: NO! MY FISH!**  
**Tammy: OMG, I caught that on video! I'm so sending this to AFV!**  
**Andrew's brother: WTF? How's does that happen? (At this point Andrew's brother, whom we all lovingly call Bear, because he's like, as big as a bear, is laughing so hard that the boat is shaking.)**  
**Andrew: Why God, why me? What did I ever do to the fish?**  
**Tammy: You caught it.**  
**Andrew: STFU, Tammy. **  
**Bear: LMFAO.**  
**Andrew: WHY GOD? WHY?**  
**Me: Fish God hates you, Andrew. Stop whining and get the rods. We're going to get that bitchwad back.**  
**Tammy: How can a fish be a bitchwad?**  
**Me: . . . I dunno.**  
**Bear: LMFAOSHIFO.**

**Thanks for reading this! XD I'm AM really sorry about missing in action there. I'll try and update as much as I can. Also, sorry if the chappy is crappy. **

**LMAO, yes, I just copied and pasted this from my other story because I'm WAY too lazy to retype it. XD ^-^**

5 REVIEWSSS! Yay, I guess I'm keeping this story going now! Hahahaha!

Playlist For Chapter:

Uprising - Muse  
Scars - Papa Roach  
Done All Wrong - Black Rebel Motorcucle Club  
Changes - Three Doors Down

* * *

The white taxi car stopped, just short of a sandy, crescent-shaped lot that looked a lot like some sort of beach. I could see, farther down the lot, that there was a bunch of people, most of them with russet skin. Like Native Americans. Closer to the water, was a bunch of rocks, lined up, and they were colorful. Rainbow colored, even. There were trees that were lining the back of the lot, like a rim, and in front of us, was endless water. The sides, however, were jagged cliffs that looked weathered by the elements. The clouds were a dark gray color and swirling crazily above us, and they were threatening to pour rain down on us; I could smell the moisture in the air.

It had to be a crescent-shaped beach. A really nice, beautiful, naturally crescent-shaped beach.

Ash and I slowly got out, Ash handing the bills of the driver. The driver mumbled his thanks before speeding away onto the main La Push road, which wasn't paved. Before I could think of anything more, I turned back to the water.

Ash limped up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Hey. We'll like it here."

"I like this place. But we don't live here," I told him truthfully, my voice flat.

"I meant Forks," Ash said, and he stepped forward. He motioned with his hands to the ocean. "We're close to all of this, which means we could come here whenever we want. We aren't stuck in Forks forever, you know."

"You're too positive," I grumbled sarcastically as I watched the gray, lonely waves roll in, only a few feet away from us.

Ash shook his head. "It's the only way I can deal with all of this." He motioned to his leg when he said that. "I mean, c'mon, I can't do anything anymore. I can't run, I can't climb, I can't jump very well, I can't bike ride, I can't walk like a normal person, I can't even _dance_ . . ."

I sighed, letting his voice fade anyway into the back of my mind. But I had to agree with him; he was doing an awesome job of dealing with _everything_.

I walked forward to the edge of the water, one ear listening to my brother's babble, and the other ear listening to the waves crashing into the shore at my feet.

I caught my reflection in the water, even though it was distorted; dusty blond hair, and moss green eyes. My scars showed up even when the reflection was screwed up. They were ragged lines, running down the right side of my neck, all the way from my jaw line, and I knew, they went to the bottom of my right shoulder. The one scar, it was a clean-cut line that extended from the bridge of my nose, across my eye and down to my jaw. The edge of it mingled with the start of my neck scars.

Suddenly, something hit my left side, sending a shock of pain through my body. I heard a little cluck, and then I slowly looked down.

I saw a frisbee and it was resting against my foot. It was bright yellow in color and I slowly bent down to pick it up. It was smooth, and probably brand new. I looked up, straightening, and looked at Ash, who shrugged.

I waggled it at him. "It is yours?"

Ash shook his head, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Hey! That's mine! Can you throw it back?" a voice asked.

I whipped my head up, to see that four of the russet skinned people from up the beach where now in front of me, about ten feet away. Even so, the voice was strong, husky and almost too loud.

Ash limped to my side, grumbling about his stupid leg. He stood, half way in front of me, protecting me from what was in front of me.

Three of the people where males–shirtless males–and one of them was shorter then the rest, and a grin resting on his face, black hair sticking up in some sort of crop. The second was taller, and looked to have a bright face and he was holding out his hands, ready to catch the frisbee.

The third male was staring at me, his dark-brown eyes wide and fixed on me, spellbound almost. His hair was flat against his skull, like he had just gone into the water. His skin reminded me of silk, and I suddenly wanted to touch it to find out. He was the biggest, the most muscular, and they were all ripped with muscles that would have made them extremely hot to almost every other girl.

The girl's hair was grown out to her ears, and she was looking at Ash the same way the big male was looking at me; with strange fixation. She was skinny, and beautiful, her skin like russet satin and her hair like velvet. I looked at Ash, who was smiling sheepishly at the girl.

I gulped, and handed the frisbee to Ash, not saying a word, just staring at the new comers who were huge and frightening. Ash laughed and threw it quickly, with the striking fierceness of a snake. The one male caught it, and nodded.

"Thanks," he said.

Ash laughed. "No problem." His voice was easy and fun, but his body was tense, still in front of me.

I looked down, trying to not stare at the male who was staring at me with those love-struck eyes. I stared down at the rocks and sand that were mixing together, not alone. They had each other.

Suddenly, I heard a strange barking-growling noise. I froze, tensed, and I slowly looked up, and I peered around Ash's shoulder cautiously. I couldn't see anything, so I slowly went around Ash, looking around for whatever was making that strange noise.

Bad choice.

I was suddenly knocked to the ground, a heavy weight on me. Something wet kept rolling over my face, licking my eyes and my scar. My hands were pinned to my side by the massive shape that was on me. My heart lept, trying to keep up with my lungs, which were letting the air out of them in short bursts. My mouth opened in a scream, but nothing came out.

I heard Ash cry my name, and I tried to cry back, but now the thing was standing straight on my chest, making it harder to breathe and impossible to scream. I closed my eyes, but I caught a little bit of whatever was on me.

Whatever it was, it was tan.

The color of a mountain lion.

My mind went into a frenzy. I remembered, back when I was attacked, that when I had gone limp from all of the pain I had been feeling, that the mountain lion had completely left me alone. I totally froze, not letting anything bother me. I let my body go limp, my muscles not responding anymore. I froze my breathing, trying to let it think that I was dead. I couldn't hear anything but the roar of my pulse drumming in my ears.

Every emotion was flying through my body at top speed, and every thought rolled slowly behind. I couldn't feel any part of my body anymore, and I knew that I was about to die. I didn't want to die, but I knew that if this thing didn't leave me, he would stop tasting me and he'd start ripping me into bite sized pieces.

The weight left my chest, and I began to let my heart pump again. I couldn't believe it; it had worked! Playing dead had actually worked!

I slowly started to process everything now. I could feel that gritty texture of the sand under my hands, and the wind was rustling through the trees that seemed a million light years away from me now. I was breathing fine, just softly, and I was slowly able to hear again.

"Damn dog! It could have hurt her!" a deep, husky, yet very comforting voice yelled.

"Dusty! Oh, shit, oh shit, oh shit! Damn it, if she's dead, I'm seriously going to kill that dog!" Ash shrieked. "Dusty!"

Dog? What dog? It was _dog_? A dog had pushed me down on to my back, making me think that I was dying when I really wasn't?

I kept myself frozen, but I slowly opened my eyes, staring up at the swirling clouds that looked like they were going to pour down rain on to my head. The deep gray of them mingled with the light gray, making the perfect shade of rain-cloud gray.

Gathering my emotions into one giant ball, I slowly sat up, my world spinning and blurring. I shook my head, trying to make everything stop.

I could see Ash, crouched on his good knee in front of me, his hands grabbing at my shoulders. The males and the female were behind him, horror-struck masks on their faces.

And behind them, I saw a young boy with a tan dog leaping and jumping at me.

* * *

**Stupid computer that cut off my chapter know I really want to kill the computer and grrrrrrrr and grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr and GRRRRRR.**

**Thanks for reading, and PLEASE REVIEW! I would like to know how I'm doing! Thankies!**

**Bai!**

**^-^**


	3. Author's Du La Note

**! :( :( :( :( :( :( T^T**

Omg, omg, omg, omg, omg. I'm SO sorry for not updating, words cannot describe my sorry-ness, but I've been a biznatch lately and I haven't been updating but it isn't my fault and my computer is extremely screwed up and it won't load and now my Internet is crashing and I don't have any sleep or energy in my system and I really want to say how sorry I am but I'm running out of words and ways to say how sorry I am and- BAH!

Okay, let me start from the VERY START OF THIS WHOLE MESS.

Everyone knows how I have like an old '95 computer and it hates me with all of its hard drive. Well, I'm starting to think it's time to retire my computer because it takes just about thirty minutes for it to start up and sometimes when it does start up the start bar won't show up or the desk top doesn't work, so you can all just about imagine my distress and frustration. So, now, I've been trying to track down a good computer that isn't very much money, and have had no success, which of course, leads to anger and frustration and cheese eating. Also, my Internet isn't that up to date so my Internet is really REALLY slow and for some reason it just likes to freeze for no reason and I'm starting to believe I've been cursed. And my spell check is f-ed too.

And now, through all of that, my family and I have been trying to plan a camping trip for a few weeks now, and we finally got into the camping park that we wanted to . . . to only find out the site that we were given HAS NO F-ING TREES. I need trees when I camp. Don't ask me why, that's just how I am.

So, on the topic of camping, I'm going to be gone for the next week and a half, so no updating. Man, you all probably hate me now. And EVERYONE IS REVIEWING MY STORIES AND I CAN'T GIVE THEM UPDATES!

Why? Why me?

All right. I just want to give you guys some statuses on my stories to let you kind of know what's going on in my head right now.

Dancing With The Wolves: OMG, I made a cliff hanger. Why the hell did I do that and then not update!

Faith, Trust, And a Little Bit of Imprint Dust (or as I now call it: FTLBID): Not really a cliffy. Not much to worry about here.

Golden Sun: Half of the chapter is typed up . . . just has to edit it and type the rest. DX

White Shadows: WRITER'S FREAKING BLOCK. WHY?

And it's paining me extremely to not be able to update as much as I have been in the past. I mean, I'm used to updating almost 24/7, but then my computer started to break and now I'm going camping. And it's not that I WANT to update so much. It's I NEED TO UPDATE. NOW. Right NOW. I MUST UPDATE. It's an addiction, I believe, and I think I'm starting to get a little more then just obessed with updating. Last night, I had a dream that I met all of my original characters in real life, and we had a conversation with how my stories should go. It was freaking creepy.

Also-again-I just want to thank all of my reviewers, who's names are way to numerous for me to put down. That and I'm lazy, tired, and it's extremely late in my time zone right now. BUT YOU GUYS ALL F-ING ROCK I LOVE YOU ALL AND PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING BECAUSE I NEED THE FEEDBACK! I LLLLLOOOOOVVVVVEEEEE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

Thank you all so much for dealing with all my crap. I will be back, in just a week or so. Thank you. Really.

With numerous apologies about not updating and having so much going on right now,

~Ally


	4. Another Dang Author's Note

****

T^T

All I can say is it's gone.

Gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. GGGGGOOOONNNNEEEE!

I must sadly post that my beloved 1995 computer had now passed on to a better world, one where his hard drive shall forever live and he shall forever be young and have fast Internet. Yes, we'll all miss you, my beloved computer, even though you hated my guts, probably hated it when I was typing like a mad man and screaming like a banshee when I got all my reviews and once you tried to eat all of my story files, but I still love you anyway and I wish you were still alive and working and everything like that.

So, basically, through all that babble, I was trying to say that my computer has died and I am now computerless and am using my aunt's laptop quickly so I may at least tell you all that my computer is dead.

I am so so so so so so so so so so so sorry that my computer died and we all knew it was going to happen sooner or later and for some reason it just happened a few days ago.

But anywhoo, I just wanted to say that my computer died and I probably won't be updating for a little while, but AS SOON AS I GET A NEW COMPUTER I'LL UPDATE! Promise! I swear on my life!

But I just also want to say thank you to all of my supporters and my friends and reviewers and readers. I love you all so much you guys ARE my second family now. Luffles you guys so much!

I better go; aunt wants her laptop back.

Thank you so much, sorry so much, and love you so much.

~Ally

P.S. All of my stories are now dedicated to Charles Jamie Junior. You are the best computer I'll ever have.


	5. AN: Gone For A Bit

**SORRYIDIDN'!**

**I will explain. Promise, but first I just want to say how fugging lucky I am to have all of you people who constantly are there for me even when my computer is screwed or when my Internet was down or even when I just completely forgot to update. Your names are too numerous to mention at this point, and even if I tried to get them all down here, I would probably forget someone and then have a complete spazz on myself. Again. XD So, as all my other author's notes have stated, I love you all SO FUGGING MUCH, and I swear, each of you deserve a frickin' medal or something.**

**I also just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who are reading/favoriting/subcribing to my stories and myself, and it just makes my day when I open up my email and I have 30-some odd emails from you all!**

**Now, to go to explaing, first I must say two another things. First, I'm SO SORRY for not updating for the longest time, but I will be gone for awhile well I wait for a new computer to come along. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH I'M SO SORRY! Second, I'm updating this on a lap top of my friend's (THANK YOU SO MUCH BEAR! Love you, man) and I am horribly sorry about any spelling errors, but to me, it's hard to type on these things. DX**

**Now, to explain . . . **

**. . . . . Again with the damn computer breaking. DX**

**Well, I guess all I can say is DAMN STUPID COMPUTER PEOPLE! My freaking computer was said to be brand new, but NOOO, they frickin must have damaged it when they were shipping it to my city because the mother board somehow cracked in half. Like, the chips inside the computer are completely shattered in half. So, my computer is broken, but they offered to give us a new one that we have to go pick up, so yaaaa. That might take awhile. **

**Well, I better start wrapping this up. Bear and his brother are wrestling behind me and I really don't want them to knock over something of my friend Tammy's 'cause she'll kick my ass. DX**

**Again, you guys and girls, SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY! THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT! Thank you! Love you all! Sorry! Thank you for everything!**

**Oh, and I am supposed to add Bear's "HEEEELLLLO!"**

**THANKS AGAIN! SO SORRY! LOVE YOU ALL!**

**Love,**

**Ally (Or RandomDancingHamsters. Whatever you wanna call me.)**


	6. Running

****

**. . . . Hii.**

OMG, okay, first off, you probably all hate me at this point and I can completely understand if you do, and if you don't, kudos to you, my friend. And if you do hate me, just don't try to bomb my house please.

I'm so sorry I haven't updated this story. I really am. I've had NO good ideas for this story and I'm not quite sure if I should even keep it going or not. I'm really pissed off because I haven't had any good ideas for this story but yet I've had crazy awesome ideas for a new story and I keep telling myself that I'm not starting a new story without updating this one and then I get mad because I can't think of a good idea for this story so my idea just keeps building and building and BUILDING . . .

So, long story short, I'M SUPER FUGGING SORRY, and here's an update!

If you are still reading this story, THANK YOU SO MUCH, and I love you guys so much! You guys don't understand how much I love/need you guys and I'm really surprised that you guys are actually still here. I really need you guys to keep giving me the support you have been because it's really helping me get through my writer's block. This is actually the only reason: your reviews. I was going through the reviews and they were all like: "Update soon" and I was like, "Ohhhhh shitt." So, you guys have been waiting for like a month, and I'm SO SORRY for that and I hope you guys are still reading this. SORRY!

Sorry if it's crappy; sick. Puking my guts out.

I also just want to say that I've never been attacked by an animal before, or have ever lost someone very dear to me, so it's kinda hard to put myself into those shoes, but I will try and do it and make the best of it. Sorry if it is crappy, though.

SO SORRY! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, I MEAN IT! I LOVE YOU GUYS MORE THEN MOST OF MY FAMILY BUT DON'T TELL THEM THAT!

Onward!

Playlist For Chapter:

Wolf Scent - Howard Shore  
As Easy As Breathing - Howard Shore

* * *

"I'm sorry!" the boy cried, and he kept looking at the males and female as if they were going to rip him to shreds.

My heart pounded, and my eyesight spun. I couldn't do this. I just couldn't. My breathing was barely audible, and I kept staring at the dog, canines flashing in the sun that began to peek through the dark, gloomy clouds. It sent golden ribbons cascading down toward us, and I began to blink frantically, the air knocked out of me, my heart pulsing in my chest, and my embarassment grew to the point of no return. Ash's hand was cold on my shoulder, and made me shiver delicately. My emotion kept building inside of me.

"Dust? Dusty?" Ash asked me, his voice calmer now.

It sent a spear of emotions straight through me, building even more. I yanked out of his arms, and to my struggling feet, to the point were I was grabbing at the air to keep me upright. But I wasn't about to stay there. My emotions were screaming at me to run, and I knew I had too. I needed to get away from the pain that began to radiate through my chest and to my eyes were tears began to spill over and run down my face and my teeth began to chatter.

The one male, the one who kept staring at me whispered, "Dusty." His whole expression was one of pure agony. It reminded me of my mother's face at the funeral, when she had to make a speech about our father, when the salty tears ran down her still beautiful face.

It looked just exactly how I felt.

I couldn't take it. My knees shaking, my heart throbbing, my breath shaky, my hands quivering. All of my emotions. . . . Building, building . . .

Exploding.

I tightened my fists into a ball, took one long at Ash's worried face, and bolted the hell out of there, my feet stickin in the sand, making it hard to run as fast as I wanted too. Running from the pain was the only thing I could do at this point, and it was the only thing I was planning on doing for a long, long time. My brother's loud, horribly terrorized voice followed me as I ran, and so did the male's. My shoes were covered in sand as I bolted for the rim of evergreen trees to my right, and the clouds began to forshadow over the sun, the light encircled in deep, gray clouds. I could heard a late rumble of thunder thrum through the sky, crackling like a witch's laughter. My legs ached, but I ran anyway, the tears falling freely now as I made it to the safety of the trees, their deep green shadows inviting me in. I pushed a branch out of my way, and I raced in, the twig flying behind me once more.

Inside the trees, it was a completely different world; the sand was replaced by moss and ferns, and the trees stood tall and proud, reaching toward the heavens, obscuring the sky from my view with branches of pine needles and wonderfully green leaves. The wind shook them fiercly, and as I ran with my head to the clouds, the tears ran faster and the pain in my chest grew terribly. I stumbled my way through the trees, voices still following me as I could hear them, but they were different; not Ash's, but a higher voice, and the same voice of the male on the sandy beach. The greeness was starting to surround me, and in my blurry vision, I was starting to see the same plant twice, and I was turning around in mindless circles of horror.

Giving up, I fell to the ground, on to my aching, burning knees, and I buried my face in my hands, rain beginning to pelt me in warm drops as another rumble of thunder began to shake the sky to bits. The rain fell harder, and the pain in my chest grew once more, to the point where my sobs only made it worst. My sobs shook me from the inside out, and made my chest shake with me.

My father was the only one who actually understood me. Who actually listened to me. And when the lions had attacked, shreding him to bits, his scarlet blood running, staining the brown ground, my heart had pierced like this then, the pure heartbreak and shock tearing me apart. Or, at least, it felt like it was tearing me apart.

The shock. That was the answer. The shock of reliving that moment had sent my memories brawling against me, making me remember the pain I had felt when my father was being eaten.

I slowly looked to my side, and for some reason, I felt like the world was closing in on me. The trees swaying in the gales of wind that now came, the ferns shaking in agreement with the trees, and the moss felt soft under my hands as I gripped on to it, holding myself upright as I began to sob more. I couldn't help it anymore; I had been holding in the sobs for two weeks now, and I had to keep them contained, for if my mom saw me like this . . . _or _Ash? I would never be able to forgive myself for the pain I would be putting him through.

"Dusty? Is that you?"

* * *

**There we have it!**

**Again, I say, I'm sorry if it's crappy; I've never actually felt like Dusty before, so it's really hard for me to put myself in her shoes.**

**Also, I'm SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY for not updating this story. I really am, and if you guys are still reading this, I'm very happy that you guys are and I'm very pleased to say that I will hopefully be getting better ideas on this story as I roll along. I'm really sorry and I'm really thankful that you guys are still here. You are my family now, and if I could, I would mail myself to each and every one of you and give you guys all giant hugs, trophies and a cake saying how thankful I am. **

**I love you guys so much! Thanks for reading!**

**Please review . . . I need ideas and it makes me write faster!**

**With love,**

**Ally**


	7. You Found Me

****

Heyyy.

Omg, writer's block again. I'm starting to loose ideas on this story like I loose my socks. And trust me, I loose my socks frequently. So, I'm really sorry. Trust me, I'm so sorry it's not even funny at this point anymore, and I'm starting to get really pissed off at myself because I just can't seem to get any good ideas from anything anymore. I need help you guys, please! Review, pm me, I don't care, I just really need help you guys! PLEASE! I NEED THEMMM!

Well, other then my writer's block, I'm still sick, but not puking which is good. I've been staying home since I've been shaking so much and I'm so cold that I serious just want to crawl into a hole and never come out. :(

You guys, I really am sorry, and thank you guys so much for everything you guys do for me. The support is so wonderful that some days I want to burst out crying. You guys are really awesome and you are the people I write for, and I'm serious, without you, I would be in a fatal postion and I would be in a corner crying my eyes out. You guys are really the best people ever, and if you guys ever need anything, I'm serious, I will fly to wherever you live and help you with whatever you need. I love you guys so much, it's not even humanly possible anymore and I really need to start getting some better words to say how much I love you with.

But, anyways, sorry if it's crappy. I really am.

Thanks for reading my story!

Playlist For Chapter:

Sweet Sad Sorrow - ? ? ?

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The voice sent shivers down my spine, for I didn't really realize who it was. The trees seemed to sway more with the wind now and a rumble of distant thunder shook the air violently. The salty tears ran down my face, trickling on to my lips, tasting like salt and water on my tongue. I shakily got up, and swayed, trying to regain my balance in the watery, blurry world. I tried to walk forward, but only succeeded in tripping on something, and falling forward, my palms hitting the soft dirt, and my knees stinging.

"Dusty," The voice was closed, and a shape leaned beside me, russet in color, and giant, much larger then me. I was shaking so hard I really didn't give a shit who it was or what they wanted.

Warm arms embraced me as I continued to sob, my heart throbbing painfully, reliving the horrid emotional agony of death. I felt as if my chest was ripping apart from the bottom to the top, and it made me bite my lip to the point of a sting of pain and I could taste blood. The arms held me close as I quivered and shook and sobbed and felt like I was falling apart in one giant, piece of me. Just plain me. It was horrible, horrifying, terrorizing, just the worst feeling I had ever had since my dad had died.

"Shhh. It's okay, Dusty, shhh, you'll be okay, I promise. Nothing will ever hurt you again, okay? I swear to you that. I swear." The voice wasn't Ash's, or my mom's or my dad's or anything like that. It was a comforting voice, a deep voice, that rang through my ears and made me shiver and a warm feeling built in my heart, but then shattered once I sobbed once more. I had no clue who it was, but he was so warm I couldn't help but snuggle up to him like some sort of lost puppy or something.

My lips trembled as I tried to speak, and the wind blew by once more, bringing cold rain along with it. Another rumble of thunder echoed over head, and I felt something wet fall on to my head. The tears were momentarily stopped as I looked up into the dark sky, swirling with gray clouds and another rain drop hit me in the face. I bit my lip once more, the copper taste of blood lingering in my mouth.

My eyes rolled once more, to see the face of the person holding on to me. He was one of the Native Americans that had been on the beach, the one who had been staring at me with such loving interest that I had looked away, confusion and self conscious. But now, that loving stare was making me . . . comfortable. It made me feel like I wasn't alone, and that I was just completely insane and that the pain would somehow go away. If it didn't, he would make it go away. I was sure he would. His eyes were the color of melted dark chocolate, almost black, but with a glistening hue of brown. His skin looked like soft silk, and the way he was cradling me against his chest made me feel like a small girl once more, protected and loved and that I would never be in danger ever again.

"Dusty," the male whispered, looking straight at me, his eyes glimmering.

I said nothing back; I just blinked away the tears.

"You're safe now. I promise." His words seemed genuine, purely truthful.

"Th-thanks," I was able to get out between my trembling lips. I had no clue what else to say, and my lips were shaking too much to try and say something else.

The burning agony in my chest began to subside, and I was both astonished and terrified that it was. Did someone have the power to calm me down? Did he have some sort of calming effect that would calm anyone down? Or was it that strange, warm, fuzzy feeling that had something to do with it? Whatever it was, it was strangely calming.

He hugged me closer, rain drops pelting us now, making his hair wet and dripping. He slowly stood up, one hand sliding under the backs of my knees, and the other holding me round my waist so that he could still cradle me to his chest and whisper to me. I didn't realize what he was doing until he began walking back the way I had came. Or, at least, the way I thought I had done; there were so many ferns and trees and rock that looked the friggin' same.

And to be honest, I didn't care where I was going.

As long as my strange Native American was with me.

* * *

**Again, I say, I'm sorry for the long time no update spells, I really am, but I've just had no ideas with this story.**

I'm sorry if this isn't the best. I've never been in Dusty's situation before, so I'm not sure how to have her react to a lot of this stuff. It's actually really hard for me.

Please help! Review, pm, just please help me with ideas, you guys! Please! I really need you're help right now.

Thank you for reading, you guys. Really, thank you so so so so much. You mean the world to me, and I can't love you or thank you enough. Thank you and I'll always love you guys.

Bai!


	8. Author's Note: I'm Back!

**All I can say is that I am SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSO sorry! DX**

**I've been MIA, I know, I know, but before I begin to explain where the freakin' hell I've been and express how sorry I am, I first want to say THANK YOU. Thank you to everyone for every bit of support you guys have been giving me; it has not only been boosting my confidence every single time you guys review or read my stories, but it also gave me enough confidence to start making my writing better than it was. Every bit of me has been basically boosted because you guys have/had been reviewing and reading my stories so much. Like, holy shit, you guys. You people are probably the best I've ever-actually-met. Lol. But anyways, I really just want to say THANK YOU with a big bowl of chocolate and maybe a trophy of some sorts … But of course there's so many of you that that might be a bit hard, so you'll have just get a big Internet hug for the moment. –huggles you all- Really, I am super-duper-muper-excaliuper-thankful that I've had such nice and caring and beautiful reading my stories. Thank you all, really. :3 As I have said before, there are not enough words in the world to explain how much I'm thankful for you all and how much I truly love you all. Not in a creepy way, yeesh XD, but in that way where I want to glomp you all and snuggle you to death. :3**

**Okay, onward …**

**The reason I've been MIA? Well, actually, there are a few reasons, which include a broken computer (First my old, old one, and then my laptop got water spilt on it—THANKS TAMMY e.e—so I now own a REALLY new laptop that is epic in every single way! :D), a bunch of family and friend drama, but the worst reason is that for a while there, I GAVE UP WRITING. I know, stupid, stupid Ally, but lemme just say, that I really just gave up. On my essay's at school, on my stories here (BUT I AM BACK AND GOING TO BE UPDATING AGAIN, SO DON'T YOU EVEN DARE THINK THAT I AM ABANDONING THEM. XD Sorry, I love you all, but needed to say that.) and even on my smaller poems that I used to write. I basically just dropped everything. I was having some hard times and stuff with the drama and I wasn't really up to doing the stupid stuff I had been before.**

**But you know who got me back? Not only was it the slap in the face Tammy gave me—She actually slapped me. Straight in the face and yelled at me to get back in the Fanfiction world—but it was a good friend of mine, J.J. We were at her house and she asked that if we could watch the Eclipse movie. So, ya, I said yes, not thinking anything of it. (Again, as I said, I was out of it for the while I was gone.) And when we were watching it, she was talking about how much she hated the fact that Bella was going to end up hurting Jacob or whatever, and I silently handed her my laptop that I had brought with me. I told her to look up the author "RandomDancingHamsters" on here, and when she did, she automatically began reading every single one of my stories. (She's one of the only friend's who doesn't know I'm on this site. :3) After four hours of her reading—and me eating all her Easter chocolate, which I will add here, happy frickin' Easter, guys! :D—she finally looked at me and said, "Who is this person? I've got to email them." And when I asked why she replied, "Because I need to convince them to keep writing. I looked at the last updated thingy and it was such a long time ago. You know, if I knew this person in real life I'd slap them. Why? Because their writing is so well done and they just dropped everything completely and haven't written since. People are going to think that they gave up!" That's when I looked at the review counts and hits and everything for the first time in what, four or five months? Like, holy fugging hell, I was an idiot to stop writing! –facepalm-**

**Thank you, Jurnee Jay. Thank you, J.J., from the bottom of my heart. You and your obsession with the Twilight Saga has sparked up my obsession for the series and my love of writing once more. I know you're going to read this, and I want you to know you are one of the best friend's I've ever had.**

**Again, onward to my next two topics …**

**As I said before, I am NOT giving up on my stories. That is not how I roll. (I roll very fast down a hill, thank you. :3) I AM NOT GIVING UP ON THEM, for as soon as I'm done typing this Author's note, I am going to re-read all of my stories so I can figure out what the freak I was typing, and then I'm going to type like a mad man to update all of my stories at least once today, maybe more. BUT I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!**

**I know this is getting a little lengthy, so I'm going to shorten up the end so that it won't take up that much room. And I also know I said before that I wouldn't be typing up another author's note … Well, sorry about this one. I had to type it, so that you guys and girls would know what was happening.**

**THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING FOR ME. THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH. You guys are part of my family. My very extended, very wonderful, bestest Internet family. That's the best kind of family to me. :3 :D**

**Thank you, again, and again, I am SO SOSOSOSOSOSOSOSO sorry for everything; for not updating, for not even checking, for being an idiot and not writing … I'm sorry. But if you're still here, following my stories, thank you so freaking much. Actually, so fugging much. Thank you.**

**With love, hugs, and lots of writing ideas,**

**Allyson/Ally/RandomDancingHamster/RDH**


	9. Mood Swings

**Helloooooooo! :3**

**Well, I was gone for the biggest, hugest, LONGEST time ever and the author's note in front of this explains why I've been gone for so freaking long. I am sorry for that, and I hope that you can all forgive me. If not, just don't bomb my house, kay? XD**

**Thank you all, so so so so so so so so much. For EVERYTHING. For all the reviews and feedback and everything! It is loved and cherished and I feed off of it for my writing. Thank you all so much for sticking with me through the thick and thin and everything else like that. You guys know how much I love you all. (Non-creeper like ... XD You all know that too.) And I wish I could give your more then updates and hugs, but I can't, soooo ... - BIGGEST GIANT HUG EVERRR-**

**Now, yes, I do know and realize that the last few chapters of this story have been author's notes, and I do thank you all for dealing with those. :3 And from now on, there shall be less author's notes and more chapters and shorter babbling sprees! I, Allyson Blanky-Blank-I'm-Not-Sharing-My-Last-Name, here by swear that all author's note shall be shorter, all introductions and endings shall be shorter, and that I will update as much as I, a human, can possibly update. :3 Yayy!**

**Anyways, now that I'm done with my speech of swearing that everything will be shorter ...**

**Thank you all for waiting so long for an update. Man, this story has actually kinda been neglected a little, in which, I am sorry, my little story, and my readers of this story.**

**Thank you to all of my reviewers for my reviews! They make me write more, and make me write faster!**

**Onwarddddd, finally!**

**Playlist For Chapter:**

**Yuna's Theme - Final Fantasy X Soundtrack  
Diamond On A Landmine - Billy Talent  
**

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I couldn't help but nod my head against the Native American's bare, muscled chest, warmth radiating through every part of my body. Shivers cautiously slowing down, my eyes wheeling to look for his, which had been such a wonderous brown that for some strange reason, I wanted to look and stare into them and get myself lost in those eyes. Those chocolate-colored orbs that calmed me straight to my core. Those eyes that completely seemed to utterly be concerned for me and only me. To only shine down loyalty and love to me.

My moss green eyes were finally able to lock with the insanely beautiful brown of his. He looked down at me and smiled lightly, taunt face relaxing slightly. I could only keep my eyes locked with his until his voice drew me out of drowning in them.

"Dusty, what happened back there?" he asked me, blinking quickly, blinking the drizzling rain out of his eyes.

That's when I was suddenly shaken back to what I had run from. What had completely made me completely freak out, running into the other direction so I could completely fall apart in my own little world. What had made me shatter. What every part of my being loathed to talk about, loathed and hated to even _think _about, let alone try and explain to some stranger who seemed to look at me as if I was his long lost true love. Like I was his sun, or his moon, his entire life personified into one person. It looked as if I was everything to him.

But I couldn't bring myself to form even one word with my lips.

I had to tell him something, didn't I? I couldn't just sit there and stare into his eyes and bask in the inhuman warmth that was pulsating from his huge, bare, russet-skinned chest? Couldn't I not ever have to worry about it, just let the words slip through my teeth and speak to him like some sort of therapist? But I knew I wasn't about to throw myself out into the world. I couldn't. I wouldn't. I didn't have to. I wasn't going to pour out the entire story and have my emotions and common sense completely go out the window. I wasn't going to tell him anything. Not a thing.

Or was I going to rip myself open and let him hear the story of my scars and pain?

The realization hit me like a slap in the face. A cold, hard, bitch slap in the face. No. I couldn't trust him. Stunning brown eyes and a warm fuzzy feeling in the deep pits of my chest wasn't going to change the fact that I had only known him for five minutes.

My defensive-pissed off side came out now, protecting the girl inside that wanted to share the story and sob in his muscular arms. Now I could only respond with sharpness, with a sarcastic glare that shredded through everything and would hopefully scare him senseless. I struggled to pull my arms out of his grasp, and I yanked so hard that he stumbled a bit, and I squirmed and twisted until he finally set me on my feet, as if I were a struggling toddler.

"Who are you, anyway? Why did you follow me?" My voice was rough and icy, flaring with the intensity of all my mental emotions combined.

He looked as if I had just smacked him straight in the face. "My name is Paul, and I followed you because you looked hurt and like you needed someone to talk to."

"Well, I don't," I huffed angrily, watching his face as it twisted.

"Mood swings," he muttered under his breath before louder, he said softly, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." I was getting more unsettled and more emotional with every passing second. I didn't care if he had basically commented on my ever-changing moods; he'd have to get used to it if he were going to hang around any longer.

"I'll walk you-" He started.

"No. I can walk myself, thank you. I have to get back to my worry wart of a brother."

"Okay."

My feet started shakily, and I pushed my way forward, crunching the mossy ground that was littered with twigs. My eyes stinging with tears once more, my heart aching with every pump of its muscles. I continued onward, not looking back, storming away, still trying to keep a controling lock on my thrashing moods.

"I'll see you some other time, then?" Paul's voice was a whisper that hit my eardrums on a breeze of wind that blew it my way.

"Maybe," I whispered back, wondering and half-worrying if he had heard it before I launched myself forward, back toward the beach, toward my brother. Steps crushing twigs and moss and my eyes scanning the ferns and towering trees those's leaves shuddered with the wind that blew through them. I forced my shaking legs to trek, stomping through the foilage as much and as fast as I could.

Ash, beware. Here comes your extremely pissed off sister.

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**Okay, it's really short, but I'm STILL having so many writer's block issues with this one that I just wanted to get the chapter out as quickly and as painless as possible, but as I said, I'm still having a huge amount of problems thinking of what to write. I'll get over it soon, it'll just take a huge amount of caffine. DX Sorry!**

**THANK YOU all so much for everything! You guys are the reason I keep writing!**

**Reviews are lovedddd!**

**Have an awesome day!**

**Byeeeeee! ^-^**


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